Monroe County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

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Guide to Monroe County, Pennsylvania ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Facts
County seat: Stroudsburg
Organized: April 1, 1836
Parent County(s): Pike, Northampton[1]
Neighboring Counties
Wayne  • Carbon  • Pike  • Northampton  • Luzerne  • Lackawanna  • Warren (NJ)  • Sussex (NJ)
See County Maps
Courthouse
Monroe County, Pennsylvania Courthouse.jpg
Location Map
Monroe County PA Map.png
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County Information[edit | edit source]

Description[edit | edit source]

The county was named James Monroe. It is located in the east-central area of the state.[2]

County Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Monroe County Courthouse
610 Monroe Street
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
Phone: 570-517-3370
Fax: 570-420-3582
Register of Wills Phone: 570-517-3359
Monroe County Recorder Phone: 570-517-3969
Monroe County Website

County Clerk has birth records 1892-1905, marriage records from 1885, court records from 1845, and divorce records from 1900
Register of Wills has probate records
Recorder of Deeds has land records[3]

Monroe County, Pennsylvania Record Dates[edit | edit source]

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records[4]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1892 1885 bef 1906 1845 1836 1836 1790
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1906. General compliance by 1915.

Record Loss[edit | edit source]

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

13 March 1843: Carbon County created. [7]

For animated maps illustrating Pennsylvania county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Pennsylvania County Boundary Maps" (1673-1878) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Populated Places[edit | edit source]

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[8]

Boroughs
Unincorporated communities
Census-designated places
Townships


History Timeline[edit | edit source]

Resources[edit | edit source]

Bible Records[edit | edit source]

Biographies[edit | edit source]

Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries of Monroe County, Pennsylvania online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Pennsylvania Cemeteries for more information

 

Additional Cemetery Resources

Census Records[edit | edit source]

Federal Census

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1840 9,879 —
1850 13,270 34.3%
1860 16,758 26.3%
1870 18,362 9.6%
1880 20,175 9.9%
1890 20,111 −0.3%
1900 21,161 5.2%
1910 22,941 8.4%
1920 24,295 5.9%
1930 28,286 16.4%
1940 29,802 5.4%
1950 33,773 13.3%
1960 39,567 17.2%
1970 45,422 14.8%
1980 69,409 52.8%
1990 95,709 37.9%
2000 138,687 44.9%
2010 169,842 22.5%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records[edit | edit source]

Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. For members, they may contain: age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage date and maiden name; death/burial date. For general information about Pennsylvania denominations, see Pennsylvania Church Records.

Monroe County Pennsylvania Churches

County-wide Database - Multi-denominational

Contains the church records of:
  • Brodheadsville: Zion United Church Lutheran Broadheadsville
  • Clifford: East Stroudsburg Presbyterian Church
  • East Stroudsburg: Middle Smithfield Presbyterian Church
  • Paradise Valley: Keokee United Methodist Church
  • Stroudsburg: Christ Episcopal Church; St. John's Lutheran Church; Stroudsburg United Methodist Church
  • Tannersville: United Church of Christ
Smithfield Stone Church

Dutch Reformed
The first church in Monroe County was a Dutch Reformed Church, organized in 1737 and called the Old Log Church. It was located in Smithfield.[9]The Smithfield Church was one of the four Dutch Reformed churches built in about 1741 in the area. The other 3 churches were all built on the other side of the Delaware River in Minisink Valley area (Northwestern New Jersey).[10]

  • 1741-1825 Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Carbon County, 1795-1825; Monroe County, 1741-1825; Schuylkill County, 1755-1825. Washington, D.C.: PA Genealogy Books, 2006. FHL Book 974.8 K2hj.:Contains church records of the Dutch Reformed Church, Smithfield Township; Lutheran and Reformed Congregations in Hamilton Township; Lutheran and Reformed Congregations in Lower Smithfield Township; Stroudsburg Monthly Meeting; and Lutheran and Reformed Congregations at Gilbert in Chestnuthill Township.
  • 1741-1814 Canfield, Amos. "Records of the Reformed Dutch Church at Smithfield, Pennsylvania," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record,
  • Church Officials 1745-1814, Membership Lists 1745-1788, Marriage Banns 1742-1786, Baptisms 1741-1749: Vol. 57, No. 1 (Jan. 1926):63-74;*Baptisms 1749-1807: Vol. 57, No. 2 (Apr. 1926):142-152. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 57.

Lutheran

Hamilton Church

Salem Reformed and Lutheran Church, Chestnut Hill Township

Salem Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Church, Gilbert

Methodist
The Delaware Water Gap Methodist Church (also called Dutotsburg) began in 1800.[10]

Presbyterian
The Smithfield Stone Church was erected in 1752 and later became known as the Presbyterian Church in 1853 (Image courtesy of the Monroe County Historical Association). The church welcomed all Protestant denominations. The Church of the Mountain was organized in Delaware Water Gap in 1854.[10]

  • 1832-1853 "The Smithfield, Pa., Presbyterian Church," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, List of Births, Baptisms 1842-1853, Marriages 1842-1853, Membership Lists 1832-1843: Vol. 57, No. 2 (Apr. 1926):153-160. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 57.

Reformed


List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records[edit | edit source]

For information about records kept in the Orphan's court, Prothonotary Court, Court of Common Pleas, and other courts in counties of Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Court Records Wiki page.

Directories[edit | edit source]

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

For online resources, passenger lists, and specific groups coming to Pennsylvania, see Pennsylvania Emigration and Immigration.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]

For groups that came, see People section of the Pennsylvania Emigration page.

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Genealogies[edit | edit source]

Guardianship[edit | edit source]

The Orphan's Court ensures the best interests of those not capable of handling their own affairs: minors, incapacitated persons, decedents' estates, and more.[12]

Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a specific location and reveal family relationships. Records include: deeds, abstracts, indexes, mortgages, leases, grants, sheriff sales, land patents, maps and more. For more information, see Pennsylvania Land and Property.

Land records in Monroe County began in 1836. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

Online Land Indexes and Records

  • 1958–present Images (since 1958) and an index (since 1979) are available on-line using the Landex system. There is a fee to view the images.

Local Histories[edit | edit source]

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Northampton CountyCarbon CountyLuzerne CountyLackawanna CountyWayne CountyPike CountyWarren CountyPA MONROE.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources


Maps

Migration[edit | edit source]

The migration routes used by early European settlers to and from Monroe County included: [13]

Military Records[edit | edit source]

Civil War

World War II


Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Naturalization records can contain information about immigration and nativity. Prior to 1906, it is rare to find the town of origin in naturalization records. For more information, see Pennsylvania Naturalization

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

Newspapers may contain obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings. Newspapers are often found in local or university libraries, historical or genealogical societies, or state archives in the area where the newspaper was published. See Pennsylvania Newspapers for more information.

Monroe County Newspapers and Dates of Publication

Morning Press: 19 May 1913 - 3 April 1929
Morning Sun: 1 Jan 1926 -26 Feb 1928
East Stroudsburg Press: 7 Aug 1919 - 20 Dec 1923
Jeffersonian Republican: 15 Jan 1840 - 12 Jan 1900
Daily Times Stroudsburg: 2 Apr 1894 - 31 Dec 1908
Monroe Democrat: 18 Oct 1860 -19 Oct 1865; 5 Sep 1907 - 28 Dec 1910
Stroudsburg Times, Times Democrat, Monroe Records, Daily Record, East Stroudsburg Press: 20 Jul 1888 - 27 May 1930
Daily Record: 28 May 1930 - 1 Dec 1964
The Pocono Record: Jan 1965 - current
Pennsylvania Chronicle: 26 Jan 1767 - 8 Feb 1774
Pennsylvania Gazette: 24 Dec 1728 - 30 Dec 1762; 3 Jun 1799 - 4 Sep 1811; 6 Jan 1763 - 11 Oct 1815
Pennsylvania Journal: 2 Dec 1742 - 29 Dec 1781; 2 Jan 1782 - Aug 1793
Pennsylvania Packet: 27 Oct 1771 - 31 Dec 1790
Pennsylvania Ledger and Freemans Journal: 4 Nov 1775 - 16 May 1792
Independent Gazetteer: 13 Aug 1782 - 29 Apr 1795

Online Newspapers

To learn if there are newspapers online for a specific town or city in Pennsylvania, see news.google.com/newspapers and search for the town or the name of a newspaper.

Online Newspaper Abstracts

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died or where family members lived. Local libraries or societies may have indexes or other sources.

Online Obituary Abstracts

Other Records[edit | edit source]

Periodicals[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Probate matters in Monroe County are handled by the Orphans' Court and start when the county was created.

In addition to wills and administrations, the Orphans' Court also handles: audits of accounts of executors, administrators, trustees, and guardians; distribution of estates; appointments of guardians; adoptions; appeals from the Register of Wills; inheritance tax appeals, and various petitions and motions.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

School Records[edit | edit source]

Social Security Records[edit | edit source]

Tax Records[edit | edit source]

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

Vital records are handled by the County Orphans' Court. Between the years 1852-1855 Pennsylvania made a failed attempt to record birth, marriage and death events at the county level. County marriage records were kept in earnest in 1885. Births and deaths, at the county level, were begun in 1893 and kept through 1905. For the most complete set of records, contact the County Orphans' Court.

Birth[edit | edit source]

Early births 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. For more information, see Pennsylvania Vital Records.

Marriage[edit | edit source]

Pennsylvania marriages were created by county officials. Contact Monroe County Courthouse

Death[edit | edit source]

Early deaths 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. For indexes and records, 1906 and later, see Pennsylvania Vital Records.

Divorce[edit | edit source]

Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary.

Research Facilities[edit | edit source]

Archives[edit | edit source]

Listed below are archives in Monroe County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.

  • Monroe County Archives
    One Quaker Plaza, Room 207
    Stroudsburg, PA 18360
    Website
    List of holdings: Historical Documents at the Archives.
  • National Archives at Philadelphia
    14700 Townsend Road
    Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096
    Phone: 215-305-2044
    Fax: 215-305-2052
    Website

Family History Centers[edit | edit source]

Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries[edit | edit source]

Listed below are libraries in Monroe County. For state-wide library facilities, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.

  • Eastern Monroe Public Library
    Hughes Library (main branch)
    1002 North Ninth Street
    Stroudsburg, PA 18360
    Phone: 570-421-0800
    Website
The Library collection includes:The History of Monroe County and the surrounding areas, Some Family History Books, Pennsylvania Civil War Conscientous Objectors Database, Access to Ancestory.com and Heritage Quest
  • Western Pocono Community Library
    131 Pilgrim Way
    Broadheadsville, PA 18322
    Phone: 570-992-7934.
    Website
This library has a limited number of family genealogies.They do have microfilm of the records of the Salem Union Church located in Gilbert, Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, for the years 1806-1924. These microfilms are also found in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Access these films at FamilySearch online or through your local family history library.
  • The Easton Public Library
    515 Church Street
    Easton, PA 18042-3597
    Phone: 610-258-2917
    Website
This library has a dedicated family history research room called The Marx Room. In the Marx Room you will find over 15,000 items of interest to local researchers looking for ancestors who lived in Northampton County prior to the formation of Monroe County in 1836.The collection includes but is not limited to the following records: Family History Books, Periodicals, Local Newspapers from 1799 - current, Obituary Indexes, 175 Volumes of Northampton County Church and Cemetery Records, Northampton Court Records, Extracts, DAR publications, Vertical Family Files,.

Museums[edit | edit source]

  • Cresco Station Museum
    P.O. Box 358
    Mountainhome, PA 18342
    Phone: 570-595-6157
    Email: stationmuseum@verizon.net
    Website
The purpose is to promote the history of Barrett Township. The museum has an archives that collects information as well as scans records and returns them to the original owner. Contact the archivist for more information: leeanne@uplink.net.

Societies[edit | edit source]

Listed below are societies in Monroe County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Pennsylvania Societies.


  • The Monroe County Historical Association
    Jacob Stroud Manson
    900 Main Street
    Stroudsburg, PA 18360
    Phone: 570-421-7703
    Website
  • Coolbaugh Township Historical Association
    Wills Mansion
    5550 Memorial Dr., Rt. 611
    Tobyhanna, PA 18466
    Phone: 570-894-4207
  • Eldred Township Historical Society
    P.O. Box 600
    490 Kunkletown Rd
    Kunkletown, PA 18058
    Phone: 610-381-4252
  • Historical Association of Tobyhanna Township
    P.O. Box 2084
    Pocono Pines, PA 18350
    Phone: 570-972-6812
    Website
  • Paradise Township Historical Society
    P.O. Box 94
    Henryville, PA 18332
    Phone: 570-629-2727
    Website
  • Pocono Jackson Historical Society
    P.O. Box 572
    Tannersville, PA 18372
    Facebook
  • Polk/Chestnuthill Township Historical Society
    P.O. Box 243, Route 715 S
    Brodheadsville, PA 18322
    Phone: 570-992-7247
    Email: info@chestnuthilltwp-pa.gov
  • Genealogical Research Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Inc. (GRSNP)
    1100 Main Street
    Peckville, PA 18452
    Phone: 570-383-7661
    FAX: 570-383-7466
    Email: info@grsnp.org
    The GRSNP serves northeastern counties:Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming.
    Website

Websites[edit | edit source]

Research Guides[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_County,_Pennsylvania accessed 2/12/2017
  3. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002) Monroe County, Pennsylvania, p.591
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  7. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  8. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Monroe County, Pennsylvania," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_County,_Pennsylvania, accessed 28 January 2020.
  9. ↑ Monroe County Historical Association, "Our Earliest Townships: Smithfield and Hamilton". http://www.monroehistorical.org/articles/files/022211_smithhamtwp.html (Accessed 6 Sept 2012)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Alfred Mathews, History of Wayne, Pike and Monroe Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: R.T. Peck and Co., 1886), 1090-1096; Digital Version Online at Internet Archive; At Various Libraries (WorldCat); FHL films 392698-9.
  11. ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/1/10/Igipennsylvaniall.pdf.
  12. ↑ The Philadelphia Courts at Common Pleas accessed 10 July 2012
  13. ↑ Handybook, 850-51.
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